ROME, December 1. /TASS/. Moscow believes Washington’s latest statements in favor of a military solution in relations with North Korea are a big mistake and tantamount to playing with fire, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday.

"If somebody is very eager to use force to wipe out North Korea, as the United States’ UN envoy has said (a very bloodthirsty tirade it was), I believe that it was a big mistake and an attempt to play with fire. We will do our utmost to not let this happen and to ensure the problem be resolved exclusively by peaceful political and diplomatic means," he said.